Flushing valve



April 22, 1930.

Filed May 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5685 C. OWE vs.

fl W 5 W 6 0 BL Va ttomwq v Patented Apr. 22, 1930 STATES JESSE o.ownns, or" Los ANGELES, ca'LironNIA rmrsnnve VALVE Application area Mayas, was. Serial No. 366,949.

'5 generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existingforms. of toilet tank flushing valves, to provide a valve of thecharacter referred to that may be inexpensively manufactured andinstalled, to pro-- vide. a flush valvethat is practically silent inoperation during flushing action and during the refilling of the tank,further to provide a device of the character referred to that iseconomical in the use of water and which is non-leaking when properlyinstalled.

Further objects of my invention: are, to provide a flush Valvewherein-the pressure of the water from the source of supply, forinstance the city water mains, is utilized for efi'ecting a forcibledischarge of the water contained within the tank in which: the valve islocated, thereby materially increasing the eifectiveness of the valve inaccomplishing the flushing operation, and, further, to provide a flushvalve wherein the pressure of the water from the source of supply isutilized for compressing air and which latter is eifective, whenthevalve is opened, in adding force to the flushing water as it dischargesthrough the valve.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a flush valve that willoperate eifectivel y under comparatively low pressures as well as highpressures, toprovide a flush valve that is strong and substantial inconstruction and which has comparatively few operating parts, therebyminimizing'the liability of this valve becoming inoperative andinefiective due to failure of the partsto function properly, and furtherto provide a flush valve that may be located within the standard formsof water tanks that are now generally used in connection with toiletbowls, or in connection with tanks that are located in a building wall.

on the pressure flushing device disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No.1,566,769',-issued to me December 22nd, 1925, and also-my copendingpatent applications filed July 16.th, 1'926,

Serial. No. 122,815 and Serial No, 273,120, filed April 26th, 1928.

W'ith the foregoing and other objects in view, my inventionconsists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill hereinafter be more fully de-. scribed and claimed and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the center of a tank such asis ordinarily used in connection with toilet bowls and showing my1improved flush valve associated with said tan V Fig. 2 is a verticalcross section taken the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. 1 j

Fig; 4 is a vertical section showing my im1-- proved flush valveassociated with a tank that is located within a building wall. 4'

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4L. 7

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate apractical einbo'diinent of my invention, 10 designates a tank of thetype that is usually employed in connection with toilet bowlsandarranged within this tank, which: forms a. housing for my improved flushvalve, is a pair of tanks 11,: preferably formed of sheet metah-andwhich tanks are made air and water. tight so asto contain water and airunder'pressure.

' Located in the lower portion of tank 10 is'a vertically disposedcylindrical valve body 12 and leading from opposite sides thereof to thelower portions of the tanks; 11 are short tubular members 13.

Screw-seated in the lower end of the valve body 12 and leadingdownwardly'through an openingin the bottom of tank 110' is a" wa teroutlet or discharge pipe 1 1 that leads downwardly to the'bowl withwhich the fi-ushvalve is associated. i v

Leading through an opening in thebottom OIl 'oftank 10 and into one ofthe tanks 11 is My present invention is an improvement a water supply"pipe: 15 that isconnected to asuitabl'e source of supply, forinstancethe' city mains, and the upper end of this pipe" whichterminates in the upper-end? of the tank in which it is located, isconnected by a T to a horizontally disposed pipe 16, the

' tions of the tanks 11.

Located in pipe 15 and within the lower portion of the tank 11 in whichsaid pipe 15 is located, is a housing 18 containing an adjustable checkvalve 19 that is arranged so that it opens to permit water to flowupwardly through pipe 15 and which is also efiective in enabling theflush valve to operate with relatively low pressures.

Associated with this check valve is a spring 20 that normally retainsthe valve upon its seat and the tension of which spring may be adjustedso as to regulate the opening move: ment of said valve.

Screw-seated on the upper end of'the valve body 12 is a cap 21, andformed integral with the center thereof is an upwardly projectinghousing 22. i

Extending through this housing and through an air tight bearing 23 onthe side thereof, is a shaft 24, and mounted thereon, within the bearing23, is a torsional spring 25 that yieldingly resists rotary motion ofthe shaft in one direction. Secured on the outer end of this shaft 24 isan arm 26, to the outer end of which is connected a vertically disposedlink 27 and the upper end of the latter is connected to the inner end ofa hand lever 28 that projects through an opening in the upper portion oftank 10, and said lever being fulcrumed at 29 to the wall of said tank10.

The parts justdescribed provide means for manually actuating the flushvalve through a partial rotation of shaft 24 and after said shaft hasbeen partially rotated it will be returned to its normal position byspring 25.

Arranged within the upper portion of the valve body 12 and retainedtherein by the cap 21, is a diaphragm 30in the form of a disc ofresilient metal that is covered with rubber or rubber composition, andextending upwardly through the center of this diaphragm is a shorttubular member 31 that is externally threaded and screw-seated on thethreaded upper portion of said member is the lower portion of a yoke 32that occupies the chamber within the housing 22.

Secured on shaft 24 and disposed within the yoke 33 is a substantiallytriangular cam 33, one ofthe flat faces of which normally rests againstthe fiat under face of the upper portion of yoke 32.

The edge of diaphragm 3O rests upon a ring 34 that is positioned in theupper portion of.

body 12 and the ring rests on the edge of a diaphragm 35 that comprisesa disc of resilient metal covered with rubber or rubber composition andthe central portion of this diaphragm 25 curves downwardly in oppositionto the upwardly curved central portion of diaphragm 30.

Extending downwardly through the center of the diaphragm 35 is a shorttubular member 36 and normally resting on a seat that is formed at theupper end of the opening through this member is a small valve 37 that iscarried by a stem 38 and the upper portion of this stem is arranged forsliding movement within the tubular member 31, there being a pin andslot connection 39 between the upper portion of the valve-stem 38 andsaid tubular member 31.

The edge of diaphragm 35 rests upon a flan'ge40 that is formed integralwith and projects outwardly from the upper end of a cylinder 41, whichlatter extends downwardly from the upper portion of the valve body 12into the chamber within said body between the inner endsof tubularmembers 13.

This cylinder 41 is preferably composed of non-corrodible metal or itmay be formed glass or vitrified earthen material having a glazedsurface.

Formed througa the upper portion of the valve body 12 throughthe flange40 and the ring 34 is a small duct 42, the upper end of whichcommunicates with the chamber between the diaphragm 30 and 35 and seatedin the upper portion of the wall of valve body 12 is an adjusting screw43, the inner end of which is adapted to enter the duct 42 and controlthe flow of watertherethrough.

The lower end of duct 42 is enlarged to form a baflie chamber 44 andterminating within said baffle cha-mber is the upturn-ed inner end oftube 45, the outer end of which is connected to valve housing 18 at apoint below the check valve 19 therein.

Arranged for sliding movement within cylinder 41 is a short cylindricalblock 46 of non-corrodible metal, glass, or porcelain having a glazedsurface. Formed in the underside of this block is a recess 47, the upperend of which is in communication with the opening through tubular member36, the lower ,of the block 60.

Carried by the under face of valve 49 is a gasket 53 that is adapted toengage on a concentric rib 54 that projects upwardly from a ring 55 andthe latter being screw-seated in the lower portion of valve body 12 justabove the outlet pipe 14.

Formed through the valve 49, inside the rib 51 are ports 56 and whichports are inclined inwardly so that their lower ends communi Gate withthe opening through ring 55 inside the rib 54. 3

Arranged in the chamber 47 in cylindrical member 46, is an expansivecoil spring 57 that normally exerts downward pressure on valve 49.

Under normal conditions or while my im-' proved valve is at rest thevarious parts of the device occupy the positions as illustrated inFig. 1. The water Within the tanks 11 under the same pressure as thewater within the city mains or source of supply and the air that istrapped in the upper portions of the tanks'll above the water therein isunder the same degree of pressure as the water.

Water under pressure occupies the chamber between the diaphragms and 35,thereby forcing said diaphragmsapart and holding cylinder 46 and valve49 at their downward limits of movement so that gasket 53 rests on ring54 and gasket 52 rests on rib 51, thereby cutting off the flow of waterclownwardly through outlet pipe 14.

To actuate the valve, lever 28 is manually operated and throughconnections 27' and 26, shaft 24 is partially rotated and following themovement of triangular cam 33, yoke 32 will be slightly elevated andthrough pin and slot connection 39 stem 38 will be raised a shortdistance so as to withdraw valve 37 from its seat at the upper end oftubular member 36. V I

Following the unseating of this valve 37, which functions as a pilotvalve, water under pressure will discharge from the chamber between thediaphragms 30 and 35 downwardly through tubular member 36, thencethrough chamber 47 and thence through opening 50,

into outlet pipe 14. As the Water pressure within the chamber betweenthe diaphragms 30 and 35 is thus initially reduced, the diaphragm 35will return to its normal straight or flat condition, thereby elevatingcylindrical body 36 and valve 49 carried thereby, so

. that when said valve 49 is elevated as shown in Fig. 2, the outletthrough ring will be open so as to permit the outward flow of water;

downwardly to form a depending nozzle 12 under pressure from the tanks11 and this water discharging through pipe 14 will etiect the desiredflushing action through the bowl with which the valve is connected. Thisdischarge'of water from the tanks 11 will lower the pressure of thewater, thereby permitting the adjustable check valve 19 toopenso it thatwater at the maximum pressure may flow upwardly through pipe 15, thencethrough pipe 16 and whichwater will discharge down wardly from the endportions 17 of the pipes 16 and thus the flow of the water from thetanks 11 will be accelerated during the flushnormal position so that cam33, acting upon yoke 32, will move the same'and the dia,-:

phragms 30 and 35 will,.as the pressure within said chamber is built up,force diaphragm 35 downwardly and consequently move the cylindrical body36 downward so. that gasket 53 on the underside of 49 will engage itsseat which is formed by the rib. 54 on ring 55.

Thus the main outlet opening is closed slightly before the body 46.reaches its downward limit of movement for valve 49. carry ing gasket 52is forced downward under the influence of expansive spring 57 andfollowing the seating of the valve 49,, as just described, any waterthat remains in the lower portion of the tanks may discharge throughports 56, which remain open until gasket 52 on the under side of valvebody 46 engages the seat formed by the rib 51 and which action occurswhen the body 46. is forced to. its downward limit of movement by thepressure that is built up within the chamber between the diaphragms 30and 35.

- Thus after the valve is closed and suilicient water has entered thetanks 11 to compress air in the upper portions of said tanks to v apressure equal to that of the pressure of the Water supply the variousparts of the valve will be in proper position for a subsequentoperation.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated my improved flush valve-associatedwith a tank that is located in a building wall, preferably to the rearand above the bowl withwhich the valve is associated. In thisconstruction the water supply pipe 15 leads upwardly through the tank 11that is located in the wall and the upper end of said pipe is bent Inthis form of valve it may be found desirable to dispense with theadjustable check valve 19 and form in the housing 18 that is located inpipe 15 an inclined deflector 58 that is arranged to deflect a part ofthe water upwardly through the supply pipe into and through the pipe.45. that leads to the port that communicates with the chamber betweenthe diaphragm.

'In this form of valve a spring held plunger 59 is arranged foroperation'in the housing that projects upwardly from the cap 21 andformed in said plunger is a slot having an inclined portion 60. Passingthrough this slot is pin 61 that is seated in a member 62 that bears ontop of the upper diaphragm and which corresponds to yoke 32. Carried bythe outer end of plunger 59 is a disc 63 and bearing against this discis the beaded edge of a'hemispherical body 6d that is arranged foroperation in a socket blade 65 and said body being'carried'by the innerend of a handle 66.

To operatethis form of flush valve handle 66 is engaged and movedvertically orlaterally and the head 64 onthe inner end of said handleoperating in its socket will bear against disc 63 and move the latterand the plunger 59 inwardly so that pin 61 rides up the inclined portion60 of the slot in said plunger, thereby elevating member 62 that isconnected r' to the upper one of the diaphragms and fol lowing thisaction the flush valve will operate as hereinbefore described.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a flush valve that isrelatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and whichis very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

Among the especially desirable features of my invention are, theprovision of means whereby the force of jets of water under pressure areutilized for accelerating the dis charge of water through the valveduring flushing operations, the means whereby the pressure of waterwithin the tank is utilized for closing the valves that control the outlet of water from the tank and the various partsthat are combined tobring about the proper sequence the movements of the various operatingparts of the valve when same is opened and closed.

In some parts of the country the character of water suppliedfor-domestic purposes is such that metal exposed to the water willcorrode in a comparatively short time and where such conditions existthe cylinder t1, the

valve block 46 and valve 4-9 may be formed the water that enters thetank through pipe 15 will, before opening the valve 19, pass throughpipe "l5 into the chamber between the .diaphragms, thereby building upsufficient pressure to cause the valve to function properly before helow water pressure opens the spring held check valve 20 andpassesupwardly into the pipe 16 having the depending end portions 17. V

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, formandconstruction of the various parts of my improved flush valve may be madeand substituted for those herein shown and describedwithout departingfrom the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in theappended claims.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. The combination with a pair of airtight tanks, of a housingconnecting the lower portions of said tanks, a discharge pipe leadingfrom the intermediate portion of said housing, a manually operable flushvalve normally closing said outlet pipe, a waterpressure supply pipeleading to the upper ends of the tanks and the ends of which supply pipewithin the tanks are extended downwardly so as to direct jets of waterdownwardly within the tanks when the flush valve is open to permit waterto discharge from said tanks.

2. The combination with a pair of airtight tanks, of a housingconnecting the lower portions of said tanks, a discharge pipe leadingfrom the intermediate portion of said housing, a manually operable flushvalve normally closing said outlet pipe, a water pressure supply pipeleading to the upper ends of the tanks, the ends of which supply pipewithin the tanks are extended downwardly so as to direct jets of waterdownwardly within the tanks when the flush valve is open to permit waterto discharge from said tanks and means for utilizing pressure of thewater from the supply pipe to normally maintain the flush valve inclosed position.

3. In a flushing device, a tank, an outlet pipe leading therefrom, meansfor supplying water under pressure to said tank, pair of cooperatingvalves controlling the flow of water through said outlet pipe, one valvebeing located above the other, a spring arranged between said valves, apair of diaphragms arranged above the upper valve and a valve connectedto the upper one of said diaphragms and controlling an outlet openingfrom the chamber between said diaphragms. V

4. In a flushing device, a tank, an outlet pipe leading therefrom, meansfor supplying water under pressure to said tank, a pair of cooperatingvalves controlling the flow of water through said outlet pipe, one valvebe ing located above the other, a spring arranged between said valves, apair of diaphragms arranged above the upper'valve, a valve connected tothe upper one of said diaphragmsand controllingan outlet opening fromthe chamber between said diaphragms, and manually operable means forelevating the upper one of said diaphragms and the valve connectedthereto. V

5. In a flushing device, a tanlq'an outlet pipe'leading therefrom, meansfor supplying water under pressure to said tank, a pair of cooperatingvalves. controlling the flow of water through said outlet pipe, onevalve being located above the other, a spring arranged between saidvalves, a pair of'diaphragms.

arranged above the upper valve, a valve cornected to the upper one ofsaid diaphragms phragms arranged above the upper valve, a

valve connected to the upper one of said diaphragms and controlling anoutlet opening from the chamber between said diaphragins and outletports formed through the lower one of said valves.

7. The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controlling thedischarge of water from said tank, which flushing device comprises ahousing provided with an outlet opening, said opening being providedwith a.

valve seat, a pair of cooperating valves for controlling said outletopening, the lower one of which valves normally rests on said seat, apair of diaphragms arranged in the upper portion of the housing, thelower diaphragm being connected to the upper one of the valves, thelower diaphragm being provided with an outlet opening and a valvecarried by the upper diaphragm and normally closing the outlet openingin the lower diaphragm.

8. The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controlling thedischarge of water from said tank, which flushing device comprises ahousing provided with an outlet opening, said opening being providedwith a valve seat, a pair of cooperating valves for controlling saidoutlet opening, the lower one of which valves normally rests on saidseat, a pair of diaphragms arranged in the upper portion of the housing,the lower diaphragm being connected to the upper one of the valves, thelower diaphragm being provided with an outlet opening, a valve carriedby the upper diaphragm and normally closing the outlet opening in thelower diaphragm and controllable means for admitting water pressure intothe chamber between said diaphragms.

9. The combination with a tank, of a flush ing device for controllingthe discharge of water from said tank. which flushing device comprises ahousing provided with an outlet opening, said opening being providedwith a valve seat, a pair of cooperating valves for controlling saidoutlet opening, the lower one of which valves normally rests on saidseat, a pair of diaphragms arranged in the upper portion of the housing,the lower diaphragm being connected to the upper one of the valves, thelower diaphragm being provided with an outlet opening, a valve carriedby the upper diaphragm and normally closing the outlet opening in thelower diaphragm and manually operable means for lifting the centralportion of the upper diaphragm and the valve connected thereto.

10. The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controllingthe discharge of water from said tank, which flushing device comprlses avalve houslng provided with an outlet, a valve seat around said outlet,a

valve normally resting on said valve seat, a cylindrical wall within thehousing above said valve, a second valve arranged for movement withinsaid cylindrical wall and normally resting on the lower valve, a springarranged between said valves, a pair of 'diaphragms arranged in thehouslng abovethe uppermost valve and controllable means for admittingwater under pressure into the chamber between sald diaphragms.

11. The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controllingthe, discharge of water from said tank, which flushingdevice comprises avalve housing provided with an outlet, 21 valve seat. around saidoutlet, a valve normally resting on said valve seat, a cylindrical wallwithin the housing above said valve, a second valve arranged formovement within said cylindrical wall and normally resting on the lowervalve, a spring arranged between said valves, a pair of dia phraglnsarranged in the housing above the uppermost valve, controllable meansfor-admitting water under pressure into the chamber between saiddiaphragms and a valve carried by the upper diaphragm and normallyclosing an outlet port in the lower diaphragm.

12. The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controllingthe discharge of water from said tank, which flushing device comprises avalve housing provided with an outlet, a valve seat around said outlet,a valve normally resting on said valve seat, a cylindrical wall withinthe housing above said valve, a second valve arranged for movementwithin said cylindrical wall and normally resting on the lower valve, aspring arranged between said valves, a pair of diaphragms arranged inthe housing above the uppermost valve, controllable means for admittingwater under pressure into the chamber between said diaphragms, a valvecarried by the upper diaphragm and normally closing an outlet port inthe lower diaphragm and manually operable means for raising the centralportion of the upper diaphragm and the valve carried thereby.

13, The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controllingthe discharge of water from said tank, which flushing device comprises ahousing having an outlet opening, a pair of cooperating valvescontrolling said outlet opening, a pair of dia phragms arranged in thehousing above said valves, the lower diaphragm being connected to theupper one of the valves, controllable means for admitting water underpressure into the chamber between said diaphragms and a valve carried bythe upper one of the diaphragms and controlling an outlet opening in thelower diaphragm.

14. The combination with a tank, of a flushing device for controllingthe discharge of water from said tank, which flushing device comprises ahousing having an outlet Opening, a pair of cooperating valvescontrolling said outlet opening, a pair of diaphragms arranged in thehousing above said valves, the lower diaphragm being connected to theupper onevof the valves, controllable means for admitting water underpressure into the chamber between said diaphragms, a

valve carried by the upper one of the diaphragms and controlling anoutlet opening in the lower diaphragm and manually operable means forraising the central portion of the upper diaphragm and the valve that iscarried thereby.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JESSE G. OWENS.

